Capture and Release
by Elijah Wood Fanatic
Summary: Harry Potter has disappeared teh night after the downfall of Voldemort. Find out what happened to him and how he managed back at the Burrows door on the two year anniversity of Voldemorts downfall! AU
1. What's Left

What's Left?

"Expelliarmus!"

"You can't win with that spell, Potter! You can't conquer me with a simple Disarming spell!" Voldemort sneered.

"You just watch me Riddle, I'm not going to stoop to your level. You're mortal now. There are no more Horcruxes to save you now, no back up plan. We're evenly matched. Now we can see who is truly the better wizard, Riddle," Harry said calmly. It coming out a lot calmer than he felt.

It was dark outside and the sky was lit only by the shooting of spells around them from the battling Death Eaters and Order members. But Harry was unconcerned with them at the moment. The Order easily out numbered the Death Eaters. Harry, on the other hand, was quite a sight. Blood matted his hair and was smeared across the right side of his face. Blood covered his left leg, a slight limp going unnoticed by him, bruises and cuts covered his body, and his entire body was shaking. Yet he stood strong, unbothered by his injuries or what stood before him.

"What do you mean? I would have felt it if you destroyed them!" Voldemort screamed in fear, and Harry felt the pain in his scar spike.

"Seven pieces of soul, Riddle, through out this county. It's a wonder you feel anything at all."

"You arrogant little prat! I knew you were no good and I know you have no idea where the Horcruxes-it's time you end your deceiving ways. AVADA KEDAV-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

It all happened so fast. After his commitment, after saying he would never, in his life, stoop down to that level. He would never use dark magic to destroy dark magic. Yet here he was, standing with his wand pointed at the one man he truly loathed with his entire being. Yet he felt this unbelievable guilt rise within him. He had killed another man. No matter what this man had done, Harry didn't think he would ever be able to live with himself. He didn't care that the monster he had killed had attempted to kill him, had tried to kill his loved ones and had succeeded in some cases. All he saw was that boy, Tom Riddle, who was so a like to himself. A boy orphaned when he was born, a boy who never knew love. And he had destroyed him. How heartless could one be?

He couldn't take the guilt. He fell to his knees, his exhausted, beaten body catching up with him, and he vomited violently.

"Harry! Oh God! Harry!" he heard as Ginny came running toward him, "Harry, are you alright? Oh, you did it! You defeated him! You're free!" she said, kneeling next to him to say the next quite softly, "You can finally live your life the way _you_ want to."

"Gin," Harry half sobbed quietly, while slowly lifting his head to look at her, "Gin, I'm so sorry. I killed him, I'm so sorry, Gin. I killed him."As he spoke, his throat constricted and the sobs grew more violent.

"Harry? What are you talking about? Why are you sorry?" Ginny asked softly, wondering what was so wrong with what had happened.

"I killed him...Tom, I killed him...sorry, so sorry..."

"Let's get you out of here. Everything will be alright babe," she said softly while turning around, "Ron! Hermione! Could you help me!" she yelled out as she saw them running toward her. What was wrong with Harry? He was still sobbing uncontrollably in Ginny's arms as Ron and Hermione helped him to his feet.

Harry was barely aware of his surroundings, but when he went to take a step, he was ripped out of his reverie as an anguished scream escaped his mouth, pain shot through his body, his left leg throbbing horribly.

"Oh God! Harry!" Harry heard Ginny scream as the impending darkness engulfed him completely. Away from the pain, and away from the guilt.

*-*-*-*-*-*

_'You killed him, you swore you wouldn't sink that low.'_

_'I did it to save Ginny, to save everyone.'_

_'But couldn't there have been a better way?'_

_'They'll be proud of me. They always are.'_

_'That's what they say, but it's only a matter of time before they start seeing you as you see yourself...the real you...the true you...the person you wish you could bury...the murderer.'_

_'No they won't! I'm not a-'_

_'Murderer? You killed him, didn't you? He is dead by your hands, isn't he?'_

_No, I di-'_

_'Is he dead?'_

_'Yes, but-'_

_'Whose wand was raised against him?'_

_'Mine but-'_

_'So, you killed him?"_

_'Yes, but...but...what shall I do?'_

_'When you get the chance, run ... run, and never look back.'_

"Harry? It's time to wake up."

"No, not yet. Too...early." Harry groaned in response, receiving a giggle in response.

"Harry, open your eyes. It's been nearly a week since the battle. Ron and Hermione are worried sick about you, as well as me. Mum is driving us insane with her worry, and the Minister calls nearly every hour for an update of your condition." Ginny said briskly, pulling Harry more, and more out of his slumber, "No matter his insensitivity to the matter."

At that, Harry opened his eyes and gave you a wisp of a smile that felt wrong sitting upon his face.

"How are Ron and Hermione?" he whispered, unable to speak in normal tones.

"That's so typical, Harry," she said in an exasperated voice, "Think about others before worrying about how you almost died."

"Gin, I'm sorry, okay?" he whispered frantically, seeing Ginny start to uncharacteristically tear up.

"What are you sorry about?" she asked as her tears vanished.

"I'm sorry, I'm just...I'm sorry." he said emotionally, delirium setting in as the pain reliever began to wear off.

"Harry, Harry, shhh, everything's going to be alright, I promise you, everything's going to work out," Ginny said as she gently hugged him. He unknowingly had tears running down his face as he drifted back to sleep

_'Run...it's the only solution...'_

*-*-*-*-*-*

Harry awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, drenched in a cold sweat, pain shooting through his body, but his mind wouldn't register it. He only had one thought, one mission to complete.

_Run..._

He looked around the room and found nothing but the empty hospital wing. He quietly got out of his bed, not even feeling the excruciating pain it caused.

_Run..._

When he reached the door to the hospital wing, nerves flitted through his stomach, and he hoped that security wasn't tight tonight. He reached out his hand to turn the handle and was slightly dumbfounded to find it unlocked, unguarded, unprotected.

_'They're already starting to see you for who you are. For what you've done.'_

As he walked carefully down the hallway, he was starting to wonder where everyone was. How could this castle ever be so empty, so lonely, so cold?

He could hear voices as he walked down the marble staircase. All of it was nonsense, streaming from the Great Hall.

"How is he coping, Remus?"

"I don't know, it looks like he's faring relatively well under the circumstances"

_'See, they don't even know you anymore. Coping well, who are they kidding?'_

Harry crept quickly past the Great Hall and the huge double doors before he could hear Mr. Weasley's response. He ran as fast as he could, straight into the Forbidden Forest, setting off the alarms in the Headmistress's office. The alarms would be long over before someone entered the room.

Harry ran until the pain in his body caused him to stop and rest. He would be far out of anybodies reach when the search started and long out of the Forest by the next morning. He would seemed to have disappeared, vanished from the face of the earth, not one trace left behind. Nobody would know what happened to the Boy-Who-Lived…and maybe they would never find out.


	2. Shattered Hearts

Shattered Hearts

_Two years past, and not a word from him yet. They all say he's dead. But I don't believe that. I don't' believe he would leave us forever. He's left us for a little bit, but not forever. He wouldn't do that. He just wouldn't._

It was the second anniversary of the defeat of Voldemort and an eighteen year old Ginny sat staring at an old newspaper clipping. There was a stack of about fifteen of them, dating back to the day Harry disappeared.

_The-Boy-Who-Lived_

_VANISHED_

_Today, one week after the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named, the young boy who so bravely destroyed him has vanished from the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At roughly five o'clock this evening, Mr. Remus Lupin discovered the disappearance of Harry Potter. A search has been sent out and we shall keep the public updated… _

The day that Harry went missing was probably the second worst day of her life. She could remember it as if it happened yesterday…

~*~*~*~

"He's not in his room!" Remus said as he burst into the Great Hall. It was nearly empty as diner was coming to a close

"What?" Hermione said, praying that he wasn't talking about Harry. Someone else was missing, not Harry.

"He's gone, he's not in his room. He's nowhere to be found!"Remus said, quickly checking himself after realizing there were still people in the hall.

"He can't be gone! You're just kidding us. Remus, knock it off, the war is over. Harry's suppose to live his life the way he wants to!"

Before the words left Ginny's mouth, Hermione was up and comforting her. She knew how hard this was but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't bring back Harry.

"We need to organise a search for him."Remus said, "Ron, Hermione, and Ginny will come with me and search the grounds. You three will…"

~*~*~*~

_The-Boy-Who-Lived_

_Pronounced Dead_

_This morning at around five o'clock, a tired and disgruntled Mr. Kingsley Shacklebolt announced that the grueling six month search for Harry Potter has come to an end. They have come to the conclusion that if he were alive, he would have been found by now…_

~*~*~*~

"Ginny! Ginny, calm down! Things will work out, I promise you." Ron had said the day Kingsley announced the official end of the search, "Remember, Gin, this is just to make things easier for the Order. We're not giving up, gin, we won't give up until we find him. I promise you."

She knew that it was all just to get the press off their backs, but it just made things more real to her. He could be, but she would not believe he was dead.

Ginny was brought back to present time by her mother's voice.

"Ginny! I'm heading over to Ron and Hermione's to watch the children! Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Yeah, mum, I'll be fine!"

"Fire call me if you need me!"

"I will!"

"Bye!"

"Bye mum!"

Ginny decided to take a quick shower and try to forget about what today was when she heard a knock on the door. Wondering who it could be, she hurried down the stairs. Her mother had just left; her father was at work, as well as her brothers. She was afraid to let herself believe he was back after two years. He wasn't here…but she didn't' know who else would be at the door.

Ginny tentatively put her hand to the door knob and turned it. What she saw before her knocked the wind out of her.

"Harry." she whispered in shock.

"Ginny?" was all she heard before Harry fell before her. Safe at last and able to let his battered body overcome him.

A/N Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews!!!! YAY! I feel so loved! lol….I know this is a ridiculously short chapter and I'm sooooooo sorry! I'm trying to make them longer! I promise…I've already sent out Chapter three to my wonderful beta and she's working on it! So…Don't forget! Reviews are always very much appreciated!


	3. Alone At Last

Alone At Last

"Mate? Mate are you alright?" said the voice that came out of the darkness enveloping him after he left the forest. He opened his eyes and found himself lying in what looked like a Muggle park. The man looking down upon him looked to be no older than eighteen.

"Hey! Are you alright?" he asked again, trying to understand why this boy was here.

"Yeah. Yeah, I suppose so." Harry said, getting slowly and painfully up off of the ground.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look pretty beat up," the young man asked as Harry winced. His body had not yet fully healed from the battle nearly a week and half ago, and it felt as if it was just going to give out on him at and second. Harry began to walk away weakly when he heard the young man speak again.

"I'm Luke, by the way. Luke Slangker. Where are you heading off to?"

Harry stopped, turned, and finally got a good look at who he was talking to. He was talking to a teenage boy of about eighteen years old, with short black hair that had been spiked with bleach blond highlights running through it. He wore a worn black band t-shirt with black skinny jeans. He looked as though he lived by himself. Just barely of age to do so.

"I… I don't know," Harry answered tentatively.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"Yeah…actually I'm …staying-" But Harry cut himself off, something in the look on Luke's face made him think twice. "No actually, I have no idea where I'm going."

"You can stay at my place if you like, my roommate won't mind."

"Um…I don't know-"

"I promise you, I'm not a serial killer."

"Alright, I guess it's better than the street." Harry said, slowly walking towards him, clutching his side and limping._  
_"Mate, are you sure you're alright? You look pretty beat up," Luke asked again, concern flickering across his face.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest."

"Are you sure you can make it back to my place? I could pick up my car and swing back around."

"No, no, I'm fine. I'll be fine." Harry said as he yet again slowly walk forward.

It was a long journey to Luke's house. Luke didn't comment on Harry's injuries again, but whenever Harry stumbled, he pointedly grabbed onto his upper arm and wouldn't let go until a few steps after Harry had regained his balance.

Luke's apartment was clean and orderly, but obviously lived in by two teenage boys. You walk in the door and there was an old, but pretty decent conditioned pool table in the centre. To the right was series of couches surrounding the television and to the left was a hallway. Harry suspected it led to the bedrooms. He could also recognise it as a leased apartment because of the barren, pure white walls.

"Let's get you to the couch; you look pretty exhausted after that walk." Luke said, carefully manoeuvring Harry onto a very comfortable wrap around couch, "Now, I'll go get you some Tylex CD."

"You don't have to do that, I'll be fine." Harry said, but his wince of pain gave him away.

"Yeah, alright, I'll be right back," Luke said going down the hallway that conveniently led straight to the kitchen.

Harry quickly scanned the room, trying desperately to grasp his surroundings. He knew Voldemort was gone, and the major threat had been eliminated, but the Death Eaters were still out there and probably still looking for him. He felt wary about coming to a strange apartment but he seemed like a relatively trust-worthy guy, and Harry knew he was in no condition to be on his own right now.

Luke returned quickly with two Tylex and a glass of water. Harry took it gratefully and settled back onto the couch.

"Now, I know I haven't known you for more than an hour, but you look pretty beat up. You mind telling me what happened? Just so I know whether to take you to hospital or not." Luke said, true concern shining in his eyes.

"I'm fine," Harry said quickly, nausea slowly hitting him and a thin layer of sweat appearing on his upper lip.

"No, you're not, Look at you mate, I think you might be coming down with a fever," Luke said, shifting the fringe off of Harry's forehead to feel for a fever.

"Oh Merlin. You're Harry Potter."

Harry shot up off the couch and tried to stumble from the room.

"Harry, just calm down, I'm not trying to hurt you."

"Get away from me! What do you want?" Harry said, panic clearly clouding his eyes as his body began to tremble with the effort to stay upright.

"Harry! Calm down! I swear, I'm not going to hurt you!" Luke said frantically.

"How do you know who I am? Why are you living as a Muggle?" Harry asked frantically. He couldn't comprehend how this could be happening. He was in a Muggle community. Luke was _dressed_ as a Muggle. How did Harry know if he wasn't connected to the Death Eaters, or worse, the Order?

"Harry! Calm down, come back and sit down before you hurt yourself!"

"I'm fine! Just stay away from me!" Harry cried desperately, clinging to the window sill for support.

"Harry! What do I need to do to get you to calm down? You're going to hurt yourself!" Luke said frantically, knowing Harry was going to hurt himself even more if he didn't calm down.

"All I want is to be normal! Live as a Muggle!" Harry shouted, becoming slightly delusional, "I just want to be left alone," he finished off, almost whispering in a defeated voice as he started to lose what little strength he had left.

"Alright, I live as a Muggle with wizard conveniences. I have Muggle friends and the only ties I have to the wizarding world are subscriptions to _The Prophet_ and, more recently, _The Quibbler_. Do you trust me now?"

Luke was getting desperate; he could see Harry getting weaker where he stood. He needed to get him to calm down, to trust Luke.

"I don't feel so well," Harry whispered before collapsing to the floor, his strength finally leaving him.

_A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!!!! I've enjoyed the ones I've gotten so far!! This following not is kinda important! In the last chapter I made a mistake in my plot line when Mrs. Weasley said she was going to watch Ron and Hermione's kids, she was actually just going to look after Hermione! I was just easier to make that update here rather than repost and entire chapter (you see, my computer is ANCIENT! so it would actually take like twenty minutes!) _


	4. Missing Him

A/N: _**IMPORTANT!!!!!!**_ some people have been confused and havent' caught on so I'll be posting when it will be the present or the past…this chapter is present…. enjoy

Missing Him

"Harry!" She cried, dropping to her knees and cradling his head in her lap, "Harry! Wake up! Please!"

"Oh god, what do I do?" she muttered desperately to herself.

"Expecto Patronum!" she cried suddenly, sending a Patronus to her mother.

"Come on Harry, wake up, you can't leave us now, not now," Ginny said softly as she heard a slight groan escape his lips.

"Ginny! What is the meaning of – Oh my!" Mrs. Weasley said as she burst through the kitchen from the fireplace, "Harry!" she whispered in astonishment, sinking down on her knees next to Ginny. Disbelief was evident in her eyes.

"Ginerva, use the Floo powder and fetch Madam Pomfrey, Headmistress McGonagall, and your father, in that order. Now hurry! Harry dear, can you hear me?" Mrs. Weasley asked so softly she could barely hear it herself. _We've finally got him back_, she thought, _what will happen if we lose him again?_

She was brought out of her thoughts by the frantic arrival of Madam Pomfrey.

"What's happened?" she asked, torn between disbelief and absolute joy at the return of her favourite (and most frequent) patient.

"I don't know, I heard a knock at the door and I went to answer and he collapsed after I opened the door. What's wrong with him? Will he be all-" Ginny rambled, not knowing if she really wanted to hear the answer, before being cut off by a reassuring hug from her mother.

"W-Well, the first thing we need to do is get him to a bed," said Madam Pomfrey, trying to take control of her emotions.

That was all that was needed to be said before Mrs. Weasley went up to Percy's old room to ready it while Madam Pomfrey carefully levitated Harry up the stairs on a stretcher she had conjured.

Ginny, though, hadn't moved an inch since she was released from her mother's grasp. The situation was finally sinking in. Harry, after two years, two unbearably long years, was back. Back where he was safe, where he was loved.

She had to go find Ron and Hermione. Forgetting her mother's other instructions, she set off for the people who needed to know the most; his best friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron had been having a rough day, to say the least. Being it the anniversary of Voldemort's demise, everything seemed to lead him back to his missing friend.

A lot had happened in the past two years, and he continually thought of what Harry would have done had he had the chance. In that time, Ron had worked his way up to assistant Head Auror, being only second to Lea Franger, who could probably give Harry a run for his money. Ron and Hermione had been married, in which ceremony Harry had still been declared best man despite his absence, and they were celebrating their one year anniversary in one month.

Though Harry hadn't been physically present for two years, everyone still felt his presence and the ache to see his smile, or hear him laugh was almost unbearable at times.

It was during these times that Ron isolated himself and just remembered all the times they had shared together and laugh at all the pictures he still had.

And this was exactly how Ginny found him in his office. A picture of Harry and himself down by the lake at Hogwarts laughing about something or another held tightly in his hand. This was one of few pictures that Harry looked genuinely happy.

"Ron!" Ginny said gently, but with urgency still audible in her voice.

"What do you want Ginny?" he said in monotone voice, not even bothering to look up at her.

"Ron, snap out of it. We need to get to Hermione." Ginny said, trying desperately not to spill the story all at once, knowing what mood he was in.

"Ginny, what do you want? Now is not the time," he said tiredly, looking up at her through his eyelashes. The exhaustion he felt was just overwhelming. At this time, he would give anything to see Harry again. Anything at all. All he wanted was his best friend back.

Ginny contemplated forming the sentence. She had so much running through her head it was difficult to sort it all out. She wanted to tell Ron and Hermione together, but Ron looked so crushed she wanted to just tell him. And yet, at the same time, the only thing she wanted to do was to be with him herself. Never let him out of her sight again.

"Harry…" she began, but stopped, finding the words difficult to say. But Ron's head shot up immediately, the hope glinting with unadulterated fervidity.

"What? What about Harry?" he exclaimed, a slightly crazed look crossing his face.

"He-he's … back," Ginny said, nearly choking on the words as silent tears began streaming down her cheeks.

"He's back?" he asked, disbelief crossing his face. That's what he had hoped to hear, but it had been two years. What were the chances that he had survived? What were the chances that he made it back to them all in one piece? After all this time, all these years?

He suddenly jumped up and started frantically gathering all of his belongings from his office. He was in such emotional distress, he couldn't think straight, the only thought crossing his mind were those two words…_He's back_…

"Ron! Ron!" Ginny said, silent tears still falling from her bloodshot eyes.

"What? What Ginny? What do you want? He's back! He's finally back! We have to go!"

"Ron, we have to go tell Hermione. We have to," she said softly. Ron turned around to look at her, a new spark in his eyes. Was it anger? Did he not want her there?

Ginny didn't care, all she wanted was for Ron to get a grip on his emotions to go get Hermione. The quicker they got to Hermione, the quicker Ginny herself could see Harry. And yet, at the same time, she was afraid. Afraid to make these visits go faster. Afraid that she would still be angry, still be upset, and that maybe, Harry wouldn't want her anymore.

"Right, of course, we need to get her," he said, getting more and more anxious as he said the words.

"You know what Ron, you go to him. See if mum or Madam Pomfrey needs any help. I'll go and get Hermione," Ginny said, saying anything just to speed up the process.

"Alright! I'll meet you back at the house," he said before quickly rushing to the Apparition point. Ginny followed closely behind him.

Ginny had no question as to where Hermione would be this time of day. She usually went into work early in the day and came home at around noon, exhausted. Being that she was eight months pregnant, it was understandable.

As she arrived at Ron and Hermione's cottage, she immediately started calling Hermione's name.

"I'm here Ginny! What's going on?" Hermione said as she wobbled into the kitchen where Ginny was currently shouting from.

"It's Harry, he's back!" she said quickly. It was easier to say it the second time. All that was on her mind was getting back to him as soon as possible.

"What?" Hermione asked, astonished, "What do you mean, Ginny? You mean, he's alive, and we know where he is?"

"No, I mean he's alive and he's at the Burrow." Ginny said impatiently, trying to get Hermione to start moving quickly.

"Have you told-"

"Yes Hermione, I've already told Ron. He's there right now," Ginny replied, starting to get irritable.

"Alright, I'll meet you over there." Hermione said. Disbelief was etched completely on her face. Two years, two years and he was back. He was finally back. Tears started to stream down her face as she thought of all the things he had missed out on and tried to fight back the disbelief that he could finally be returned to them, returned home.

A/N: =[….I haven't gotten many reviews! Reviews make me happy!!! Please review!!! Anyway, moving on….I apologise in advance for the possible slowERness of the next chapters to come out, I've been casted in a lead of a musical and the next 2.5 months will be devoted to memorizing lines, dances, songs, and blocking….I apologise in advance, thanks for your patients.


	5. To Trust a Fallen Hero

To Trust a Fallen Hero

_Time seemed to slow as his body fell gracefully to the ground. He heard people screaming his name, but he couldn't bring himself to care._

_He slowly walked over to the body, agony coursing through him, stronger with every step. As he glanced down, he could fell the bile rise in his throat. There, lay a boy of about seven years. Harry fell to his knees overcome by guilt. How could he have killed someone so innocent…even if the young boy had been Tom Riddle?_

_He heard people yelling his name, screaming for him to wake up. But he was awake. All he wanted to do was to pass out. Escape the pain, the guilt that was crushing him, destroying him…_

"Harry! Wake up! It's just a bloody nightmare!" came a desperate voice, cutting through the dense despair.

'_A nightmare? That's all…' _But he couldn't shake the gnawing guilt.

He sat bolt upright, barely acknowledging the cold sweat drenching his body or the chill that wracked his body.

"Harry! Harry, are you alright?"

He knew that voice, but he couldn't place it.

"Harry! Can you hear me?"

Luke, it was Luke. Finally opening his eyes, he saw Luke's worried face directly in front of him. The room was only lit by the moonlight streaming through the window, casting eerie shadows through the room.

"Harry?!"

"What?" Coherency was slowly returning to him.

"Oh, good God. Harry, you scared the shit out of me," Luke said, sounding flustered.

"S-sorry, just a nightmare," Harry murmured breathlessly. He shakily tried to stand, to get away from Luke. He couldn't trust him yet, but as soon as he got to his feet, his world started to spin and Luke quickly caught him and lowered him carefully back onto the couch.

"Not so fast…" Luke whispered, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Like I'm going to tell _you_!" Harry spit out angrily.

"Will you just listen to me Harry, the dark side is the _last_ place I want to be. I'm probably as wanted as you are," Luke said desperately.

Luke's last statement left Harry stunned '…a_s wanted as you are…_' What could _he_ have possibly done? More intrigued than angry now, Harry fell silent, waiting patiently for Luke to continue, but when he didn't, Harry realised he might need to urge him on.

"W-what happened?"

"My parents are what happened, bloody Death Eaters that they were. The only memories I have of them were them brainwashing me about pureblood supremacy. What a load of crap that is, and the sad part is that was when I was three. That's when they were murdered by Voldemort himself, just a few weeks before you stopped him,"

Once Luke started, it seemed there was no way to stop him, like he had never told anybody this and he was so overwrought, it just poured out of him. "They were murdered for giving false information of the Potters' whereabouts. After that, I was sent to live with my grandparents. They were just as set on pureblood supremacy as my parents. They supported Voldemort one hundred percent and were always prattling on about how I should become a Death Eater. When I made it to Hogwarts, I was so sick of the Dark Arts, I never wanted to see my grandparents again. But at the same time, all I wanted to do was to make them proud, like the parents I never really got to know. So I'd been so brainwashed that I went for the Mark when I turned sixteen,"

At this he rolled up his sleeve to reveal a skull wrapped in a snake; the gruesome picture of the snake's head coming out of the skull's mouth, embedded forever in his skin. "It only took about six months for me to realize this wasn't for me. I was a Gryffindor, for crying out loud. I had half-blood friends, hell, I even had _Muggle_ friends. After a particularly gruesome meeting, I went straight back to Dumbledore, told him everything, and…and also that I wanted to redeem my sins, if I could, by serving as a spy against Voldemort. And he let me

"But when I became a suspected spy in Voldemort's league, Voldemort stopped giving me information. When D-Dumbledore died, the Order no longer trusted me. Said I should have known of the plan, should have warned them. They were grieving, I know, but I still just needed to get out of there. So here I am, a twenty-year-old ex-Death Eater living as a Muggle…who would have thought?"

By the time Luke had finished, his face was ashen and he was looking desperately around the room; anywhere except at Harry.

"I'm sorry," was all Harry managed to murmur after a minute or so of silence.

"No, no, it's fine, I just haven't actually told anybody that. I got frustrated.  
You have no reason to fear me and I have every reason to help you," Luke said with more confidence, "Why are you here? Why do you want to live as a Muggle?"

"Voldemort's gone. I'm no longer needed, I no longer belong, and I no longer wish to be in the wizarding community. I don't want to be gawked at like a circus freak." Harry said dully. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have said a word. But he felt that he needed to at least be honest with the man who had just spilled his entire life story to a practical stranger.

"What about your friends?"

"They'll get over it, It's better for them this way, _safer_ for them this way."

Acknowledging the tension in the air, Luke decided it was best to move to a lighter topic.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine," was Harry's terse answer.

"You know what, I'm just not going to ask that question anymore," Luke said, a hint of a smile on his lips. He leaned over and once again placed his hand on Harry's head.

"You're still quite warm," Luke stated trying to break the tension in the room. "If your fever hasn't gone down by tomorrow, then, judging by how you _actually_ feel, I'll decide whether to take you to the hospital, or just call my private doctor."

Harry could tell, just by that one sentence alone, how much Luke had been through. He'd seen enough and done enough to have this strange kind of compassion for others. Harry felt that he could now trust Luke completely. He may have wanted to get as far away from him as possible mere hours ago, but now he understood. They were so alike in experiences and right now, there was probably _no one_ who could understand as much as Luke.

The next day opened to quite the commotion. Harry lay on the couch listening to all the ruckus while clutching his head in a desperate attempt to ease the pain.

"-is that?"

"Look, I'll explain later! Just shut up!" Luke said heatedly.

"But I come home to find a stranger on our couch and I'm just supposed to let it go?"

"He _does_ have a point, you know," stated a second unfamiliar, but more feminine, voice.

"I don't care, it's my place too," Luke said defensively.

"Oh Jesus, just _shut up_," Harry said, aggravated. All he wanted to do was to drift back to sleep.

"Harry! You're up, how do you feel?" Luke said, suddenly right next to him.

"Oh, for the millionth time-"

"You feel fine? Alright," Luke said as he reached over to feel for a temperature. "I guess you're right this time. No fever. Just let me get you some Tylex, just in case." Luke continued as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Bloody mental…" Harry heard as he tried to ignore the pounding in his head as he sat up. He noticed two people leaning against the pool table. The closest one had hair similar to Luke's; it was a little longer but had the same blue highlights. The girl was farthest away; she was skinny and had blonde hair with red streaks. Her hair was also short, cut just above her ears. The front was straight, but the back was gelled up. They were both dressed like Luke; a pair of skinny jeans and a band T-shirt.

"You got that right," Harry said groggily.

"I'm Mark Conin, Luke's roommate," the guy closest to Harry said casually.

"And I'm Lesli Crush," said the girl as she slowly walked toward Harry to sit on the couch.

"I'm Harry Potter. Sorry for causing the trouble, I'll just leave you guys to it," Harry said as he stood. Once he was on his feet, a wave of dizziness crashed over him.

"Whoa, mate, you alight?" Mark asked as he saw Harry sway.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Harry said as he hid his dizziness. The pain in his body was almost unbearable.

"No you're not, Harry. Come here," Luke said as he held out two Tylex and a glass of water.

"Really Luke, this is ridiculous," Harry said leaning against the door for support. Luke shook his head and instead, came to Harry.

"Drink," Luke said strictly as he led him back toward the sofa.

"I'm sorry for making such a fuss this morning. I had no idea that he was so ill." Lesli said guiltily.

"I'm not ill!" Harry said indignantly.

"No, you're not, you're injured," Luke said matter-of-factly.

"Shut up, Luke," Harry said through clenched teeth, afraid he would reveal their secret.

"Don't worry so much, they know."

"What?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yeah, he's a wizard, you're a wizard. Big woopdie-doo. A lot of good it's done the two of you." Lesli said sarcastically.

"They know. Now almighty Potter, off to bed with you. You need all the rest you can get if you plan to live here," Luke said light heartedly as he led Harry down the hallway off the left o the apartment into a barren square room with only a bed and dresser inside. As soon as Harry's head hit the pillow, he was out. Not even awake to hear Luke's whispered, "Thank you."

A/N: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! I'M SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!!!!!!! AHHHH! I'm terrible! I'm trying to get back on track but it's hard! Please stay patient! Hope you enjoyed!

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